DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by dissociation of thoughts, idea, identity, and emotions. It has no central pathophysiological mechanism and precise diagnostic markers. Despite its high heritability, there are also environmental factors implicated in the development of sc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Cells |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/11/2890 |
| _version_ | 1827677068497780736 |
|---|---|
| author | Thabo Magwai Khanyiso Bright Shangase Fredrick Otieno Oginga Bonginkosi Chiliza Thabisile Mpofana Khethelo Richman Xulu |
| author_facet | Thabo Magwai Khanyiso Bright Shangase Fredrick Otieno Oginga Bonginkosi Chiliza Thabisile Mpofana Khethelo Richman Xulu |
| author_sort | Thabo Magwai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by dissociation of thoughts, idea, identity, and emotions. It has no central pathophysiological mechanism and precise diagnostic markers. Despite its high heritability, there are also environmental factors implicated in the development of schizophrenia. Epigenetic factors are thought to mediate the effects of environmental factors in the development of the disorder. Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation are a risk factor for schizophrenia. Targeted gene approach studies attempted to find candidate gene methylation, but the results are contradictory. Genome-wide methylation studies are insufficient in literature and the available data do not cover different populations like the African populations. The current genome-wide studies have limitations related to the sample and methods used. Studies are required to control for these limitations. Integration of DNA methylation, gene expression, and their effects are important in the understanding of the development of schizophrenia and search for biomarkers. There are currently no precise and functional biomarkers for the disorder. Several epigenetic markers have been reported to be common in functional and peripheral tissue. This makes the peripheral tissue epigenetic changes a surrogate of functional tissue, suggesting common epigenetic alteration can be used as biomarkers of schizophrenia in peripheral tissue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:37:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14fdc79e94de4fa8b48b63c08258c27e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:37:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-14fdc79e94de4fa8b48b63c08258c27e2023-11-22T22:48:13ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092021-10-011011289010.3390/cells10112890DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future PerspectiveThabo Magwai0Khanyiso Bright Shangase1Fredrick Otieno Oginga2Bonginkosi Chiliza3Thabisile Mpofana4Khethelo Richman Xulu5Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDepartment of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDepartment of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDepartment of Psychiatry, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDepartment of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDepartment of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaSchizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by dissociation of thoughts, idea, identity, and emotions. It has no central pathophysiological mechanism and precise diagnostic markers. Despite its high heritability, there are also environmental factors implicated in the development of schizophrenia. Epigenetic factors are thought to mediate the effects of environmental factors in the development of the disorder. Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation are a risk factor for schizophrenia. Targeted gene approach studies attempted to find candidate gene methylation, but the results are contradictory. Genome-wide methylation studies are insufficient in literature and the available data do not cover different populations like the African populations. The current genome-wide studies have limitations related to the sample and methods used. Studies are required to control for these limitations. Integration of DNA methylation, gene expression, and their effects are important in the understanding of the development of schizophrenia and search for biomarkers. There are currently no precise and functional biomarkers for the disorder. Several epigenetic markers have been reported to be common in functional and peripheral tissue. This makes the peripheral tissue epigenetic changes a surrogate of functional tissue, suggesting common epigenetic alteration can be used as biomarkers of schizophrenia in peripheral tissue.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/11/2890schizophreniaDNA methylationepigeneticsbiomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Thabo Magwai Khanyiso Bright Shangase Fredrick Otieno Oginga Bonginkosi Chiliza Thabisile Mpofana Khethelo Richman Xulu DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective Cells schizophrenia DNA methylation epigenetics biomarkers |
| title | DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective |
| title_full | DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective |
| title_fullStr | DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective |
| title_short | DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective |
| title_sort | dna methylation and schizophrenia current literature and future perspective |
| topic | schizophrenia DNA methylation epigenetics biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/11/2890 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thabomagwai dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective AT khanyisobrightshangase dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective AT fredrickotienooginga dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective AT bonginkosichiliza dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective AT thabisilempofana dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective AT khethelorichmanxulu dnamethylationandschizophreniacurrentliteratureandfutureperspective |